March 2, 2006

Final Stats

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The first time Alabama State and Grambling State faced off this season, the two teams committed 62 fouls and shot 92 combined free throws.

The Lady Hornets won that game and, apparently, were comfortable with the approach in producing a 78-77 win over the Lady Tigers Thursday night at the Joe L. Reed Acadome. The two teams produced 64 fouls and 87 free throws in the slow-moving contests. But it was enough to help ASU clinch the No. 4 seed in the upcoming Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament.

"We were able to put points on the board but we have to do a better job of playing defense without fouling," head coach Freda Freeman-Jackson said.

Shantae Robinson scored a season-high 21 points and added eight assists, often triggering an offense that looked unstoppable at times. Latille Ross came off the bench to score 18 points and grab 11 rebounds while L'Teisha Holloway (12 points) and Nedra Thomas (career-high 10 points) also played well.

The Lady Hornets came out read hot, making their first four shots from the field and scoring on their first five possessions. The Lady Tigers would come back, and briefly took the lead, but ASU shot a scintillating 56 percent from the field and led 44-38 at halftime.

But the offensive bonanza would not last into the second half for the Lady Hornets. Grambling State would storm back thanks to its own hot shooting (52 percent in the second half) and tied the game at 63 with just less eight minutes remaining.

But Bama State would never fall behind, putting in significant work at the free throw line in the second half (15-of-23 from the charity stripe). Those misses almost caught up the ASU, especially late. The Lady Hornets missed four of their last six freebies in the 90 seconds and allowed Grambling State to still have a chance. But the Lady Tigers made only three of seven during the same time to curtail their comeback chance.

Sanora Cole scored a game-high 24 points and Juleen Smith added 20 in the loss for Grambling State.